Methods and apparatus for multi-provider virtual network services

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing multi-provider services in a virtualised network. The method in a first lifecycle management, LCM component, in a virtual network; wherein the virtual network comprises trusted provider configured to provide a decentralised trust system between a plurality of LCM components controlled by different service providers in the virtual network. The method comprises storing a detailed description of one or more local services that the first service provider is capable of providing; generating a local tag representative of the one or more local services, wherein the local tag comprises less detail about the one or more local services than the detailed description; and enrolling with the decentralised trust system using the local tag.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method in a first lifecycle management, LCM component, in a virtual network; wherein the virtual network comprises trusted provider configured to provide a decentralised trust system between a plurality of LCM components controlled by different service providers in the virtual network, the method comprising:
 storing a detailed description of one or more local services that the first service provider is capable of providing; 
 generating a local tag representative of the one or more local services stored in the detailed description, wherein the local tag comprises less detail about the one or more local services than the detailed description; and 
 enrolling with the decentralised trust system using the local tag. 
 
     
     
       2. The method as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the local tag comprises an abstracted description of the one or more local services. 
     
     
       3. The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating an abstracted description of the one or more local services, and storing the abstracted description alongside the detailed description of the one or more local services, wherein the abstracted description comprises more detail about the one or more local services than the local tag and less detail about the one or more local services than the detailed description. 
 
     
     
       4. The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a service request to provide a first service; 
 responsive to a determination that the first service cannot be fully provided by the first service provider, generating a first tag representing a portion of the first service that the first service provider cannot provide; 
 transmitting a discovery request to the trusted provider, wherein the discovery request comprises the first tag; 
 receiving, from the trusted provider based on the first tag, a list of LCM components comprising a second LCM component controlled by a second service provider, wherein the second service provider is capable of providing a part of the portion of the first service; and 
 transmitting a provision request to the second LCM component to provide the part of the portion of the first service. 
 
     
     
       5. The method as claimed in  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving abstracted descriptions associated with each respective LCM component in the list of LCM components; and 
 selecting the second LCM component from the list of LCM components based the received abstracted descriptions. 
 
     
     
       6. The method as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising:
 utilising the trusted provider to establish a transaction protocol with a second LCM component controlled by a second service provider; wherein the transaction protocol comprises a condition that the first LCM component will provide the local service upon receiving a provision request from the second LCM component. 
 
     
     
       7. The method as claimed in  claim 6  further comprising:
 receiving a request for the detailed description of the local service from the second LCM component; and 
 transmitting the detailed description of the local service to the second LCM component. 
 
     
     
       8. A method, in a trusted Lifecycle Management, LCM, component controlled by a trusted provider in a virtual network, wherein the trusted provider is configured to provide a decentralised trust system between a plurality of LCM components controlled by different service providers in the virtual network; the method comprising:
 receiving an enrolment request from a first lifecycle management, LCM, component controlled by a first service provider to enroll the first LCM component with the decentralised trust system; wherein the enrolment request comprises a local tag representative of one or more local services the first service provider is capable of providing; and 
 storing the first LCM component alongside the local tag in a membership record, wherein the membership record comprises entries for each of a plurality of LCM components enrolled on the decentralised trust system. 
 
     
     
       9. The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising receiving a discovery request from a first LCM component, wherein the discovery request comprises a first tag associated with a portion of a first service that the first service provider cannot provide; and
 obtaining, based on the first tag and the membership record, a list of LCM components controlled by different service providers, wherein each LCM component on the list is capable of providing a part of the portion of the first service; and 
 transmitting the list of LCM components to the first LCM component. 
 
     
     
       10. The method as claimed in  claim 9  wherein each entry of the membership record comprises an LCM component associated with at least one tag, wherein the at least one tag represents at least one service that the associated LCM component is capable of providing. 
     
     
       11. The method as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the step of obtaining comprises:
 locating at least one entry in the membership record comprising at least one tag which indicates that the associated LCM component is capable of providing at least a part of the portion of the first service represented by the first tag; and 
 adding the at least one entry to the list of LCM components. 
 
     
     
       12. The method as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the local tag comprises an abstracted description of the one or more local services. 
     
     
       13. The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the discovery request; 
 retrieving respective abstracted descriptions associated with each of LCM components in the list of LCM components; and 
 transmitting the respective abstracted descriptions to the first LCM component. 
 
     
     
       14. The method as claimed in  claim 8  further comprising:
 establishing a transaction protocol between the first LCM component and a second LCM components, wherein the list wherein the transaction protocol comprises a condition that the at least one of the LCM components on the list will provide the part of the portion of the first service upon request from the first LCM component. 
 
     
     
       15. The method as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising:
 receiving a request from the first LCM component to retrieve detailed descriptions of services the at least one of the LCM components on the list are capable of providing; 
 retrieving the detailed descriptions from the at least one of the LCM components on the list; and 
 transmitting the detailed descriptions to the first LCM component. 
 
     
     
       16. A first lifecycle management, LCM component, in a virtual network; wherein the virtual network comprises trusted provider configured to provide a decentralised trust system between a plurality of LCM components controlled by different service providers in the virtual network, the first LCM component comprising memory configured to:
 store a detailed description of one or more local services that the first service provider is capable of providing; and 
 processing circuitry configured to:
 generate a local tag representative of the one or more local services stored in the detailed description, wherein the local tag comprises less detail about the one or more local services than the detailed description; and 
 enroll with the decentralised trust system using the local tag. 
 
 
     
     
       17. The first LCM component as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the local tag comprises an abstracted description of the one or more local services. 
     
     
       18. The first LCM component as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 generate an abstracted description of the one or more local services, and the memory is further configured to store the abstracted description alongside the detailed description of the one or more local services, wherein the abstracted description comprises more detail about the one or more local services than the local tag and less detail about the one or more local services than the detailed description. 
 
     
     
       19. The first LCM component as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 receiving a service request to provide a first service; 
 responsive to a determination that the first service cannot be fully provided by the first service provider, generate a first tag representing a portion of the first service that the first service provider cannot provide; 
 transmit a discovery request to the trusted provider, wherein the discovery request comprises the first tag; 
 receive, from the trusted provider based on the first tag, a list of LCM components comprising a second LCM component controlled by a second service provider, wherein the second service provider is capable of providing a part of the portion of the first service; and 
 transmit a provision request to the second LCM component to provide the part of the portion of the first service. 
 
     
     
       20. The first LCM component as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 receive abstracted descriptions associated with each respective LCM component in the list of LCM components; and 
 select the second LCM component from the list of LCM components based the received abstracted descriptions. 
 
     
     
       21. The first LCM component as claimed in  claim 16  wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 utilise the trusted provider to establish a transaction protocol with a second LCM component controlled by a second service provider; wherein the transaction protocol comprises a condition that the first LCM component will provide the local service upon receiving a provision request from the second LCM component. 
 
     
     
       22. The first LCM component as claimed in  claim 21  wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
 receive a request for the detailed description of the local service from the second LCM component; and 
 transmit the detailed description of the local service to the second LCM component. 
 
     
     
       23. A trusted Lifecycle Management, LCM, component controlled by a trusted provider in a virtual network, wherein the trusted provider is configured to provide a decentralised trust system between a plurality of LCM components controlled by different service providers in the virtual network; the trusted LCM component comprises processing circuitry configured to:
 receive an enrolment request from a first lifecycle management, LCM, component controlled by a first service provider to enroll the first LCM component with the decentralised trust system; wherein the enrolment request comprises a local tag representative of one or more local services the first service provider is capable of providing; and 
 a memory configured to store the first LCM component alongside the local tag in a membership record, wherein the membership record comprises entries for each of a plurality of LCM components enrolled on the decentralised trust system.